Obama campaigned to change the way the US is perceived in the world. He was willing to OPENLY discuss all matters with all countries. What better way to show your sincerity than to "bow" to the customs of the leaders of these countries?
No, I voted for Alan Keyes, and think Obama is screwing the hell out of my childrens' future. But it may be a future where the US is at least respected for showing tolerance and a willingness to work issues out without a nuclear bomb.

When I wen tot Japan with my wife, she was working for LM and selling foreign military details on the VLM systems she works on. We were invited to go to dinner near the end of the week with the local CEO of Mitsubishi where she was training them to perfrom the repairs. When introduced, he bowed to me, and I returned the courtesy, and I'm just her spouse. . .

You think that because the president of the largest military power the world has ever seen makes some silly gesture to a Japanese leader he's being subservient?! Get real!.

He's trying to be humble, which is reguarded pretty highly in Japan, and he's trying to counter the perception of US arrogance that much of the world has right now, and that's a good thing.

The lengths some of you will go to to make an issue out of nothing is astounding! It's no wonder the media in this country does nothing but spin....it's all you non-thinkers are capable of understanding!

I don't think it's an incredibly huge deal. Yeah, he looks like an idiot, and someone should have taught him how to bow and still preserve some sort of dignity at the same time, but I don't think this particular action is going to lead to the end of the world. A bow I would have been ok with; this looks more like a submissive bow.

He's on the same path as Bush Jr, piling up "whoops"es and "can I have a do-over"s while he turns out to be just another joke of a President. At least Bush's excuse was that he had the IQ of a donkey. What's Obama's excuse?

You think that because the president of the largest military power the world has ever seen makes some silly gesture to a Japanese leader he's being subservient?! Get real!.

He's trying to be humble, which is reguarded pretty highly in Japan, and he's trying to counter the perception of US arrogance that much of the world has right now, and that's a good thing.

The lengths some of you will go to to make an issue out of nothing is astounding! It's no wonder the media in this country does nothing but spin....it's all you non-thinkers are capable of understanding!

SINGAPORE – A senior administration official said President Barack Obama was simply observing protocol when he bowed to Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko upon arriving at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Saturday.

“I think that those who try to politicize those things are just way, way, way off base,” the official said. “He observes protocol. But I don’t think anybody who was in Japan – who saw his speech and the reaction to it, certainly those who witnesses his bilateral meetings there – would say anything other than that he enhanced both the position and the status of the U.S., relative to Japan. It was a good, positive visit at an important time, because there’s a lot going on in Japan.”

SINGAPORE – A senior administration official said President Barack Obama was simply observing protocol when he bowed to Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko upon arriving at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Saturday.

A senior administration official? That means someone who works for Obama, right? Probably Robert Gibbs or Rahm Emanuel speaking without attribution. Obviously he was NOT observing protocol if no other world leader has bowed and he was touching the Emperor when he bowed.

A senior administration official? That means someone who works for Obama, right? Probably Robert Gibbs or Rahm Emanuel speaking without attribution. Obviously he was NOT observing protocol if no other world leader has bowed and he was touching the Emperor when he bowed.

Just admit it... he screwed up. Happens to the best of us.

I'm not admitting anything. Find me the exact protocol document that says the POTUS is not suppose to bow before any other head of state....EVER. I can think of worse things Presidents have done. But we wont go there. Who creates protocol and what are the ramifications for breaking such? I'm of the impression that these things vary.

Obama respected the Emperor's culture. The Emperor returned the courtesy with a handshake. That is how I saw it. He obviously didnt execute the bow correctly to Japanese standards. President Obama has screwed up in the past and this isn't one of those times. He was trying to be respectful.

the way that you highlight it, is a great illustration to how outrageous this is

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

OMFG....some of you guys are just absurd.

You think that because the president of the largest military power the world has ever seen makes some silly gesture to a Japanese leader he's being subservient?! Get real!.

He's trying to be humble, which is reguarded pretty highly in Japan, and he's trying to counter the perception of US arrogance that much of the world has right now, and that's a good thing.

The lengths some of you will go to to make an issue out of nothing is astounding! It's no wonder the media in this country does nothing but spin....it's all you non-thinkers are capable of understanding!

obama and his people hate the military and will work to weaken it

__________________

some italian, german, and japanese ones; and on order more of the same

I'm not admitting anything. Find me the exact protocol document that says the POTUS is not suppose to bow before any other head of state....EVER. I can think of worse things Presidents have done. But we wont go there. Who creates protocol and what are the ramifications for breaking such? I'm of the impression that these things vary.

Obama respected the Emperor's culture. The Emperor returned the courtesy with a handshake. That is how I saw it. He obviously didnt execute the bow correctly to Japanese standards. President Obama has screwed up in the past and this isn't one of those times. He was trying to be respectful.

But the "thou need not bow" commandment from the State Department's protocol office maintained a constancy of more than 200 years. Administration officials scurried to insist that the eager-to-please President had not really done the unthinkable.

"It was not a bow-bow, if you know what I mean," said Ambassador Molly Raiser, the chief of protocol.

White House officials described Mr. Clinton's tilt as something of an improvisation.

when i saw that bow the second time,i almost threw up. pathetic.
remids me of this steven seagal movie,where he's showing a picture of a girl and asking if anybody seen her.and one guy says;" i have only seen the top of her head",(as in receiving a b*&$^%b).
thats what emperor is seeing,top of obama's head.

Even if this does in some whacked-out tin-foil way mean Obama looked submissive, how does that change things. What happens BECAUSE of this?

I'm really interested to here why people think it's such a big deal.

What happens because of this? Nothing.

Why do people find it a big deal? Because people are stupid and care more about issues that require no thought to complain about.

The people who make a big deal out of this are on the same intelligence level as those who made a big deal (both positive and negative) about him wielding a lightsaber, killing a fly out of mid-air during an interview, and giving numerous "pound-its" to people.

It basically equates to people who watch E! nightly and think that the "stories" matter.

It's sad, really, as to what America has turned into. I'm glad that you recognize this, too. I've never seen this country more divided in my lifetime. At least with Bush most people were on the consensus that he sucks and most could agree with that wherever you went.

Oh get the fuck out of here. What has Obama done to weaken the military? And what exactly do you know about the military anyway? Have you ever even served?

There's very little a President can do in four, or even eight years that has a lasting effect on the US military. It's been around for 234 years, and it isn't going to drastically change in the next eight.

If anything our military NEEDS a reorganization right now, to better equip it for the challenges we face now, instead of a Cold War that no longer exists. And that's coming from someone who's done their time.

Why do people find it a big deal? Because people are stupid and care more about issues that require no thought to complain about.

The people who make a big deal out of this are on the same intelligence level as those who made a big deal (both positive and negative) about him wielding a lightsaber, killing a fly out of mid-air during an interview, and giving numerous "pound-its" to people.

It basically equates to people who watch E! nightly and think that the "stories" matter.

It's sad, really, as to what America has turned into. I'm glad that you recognize this, too. I've never seen this country more divided in my lifetime. At least with Bush most people were on the consensus that he sucks and most could agree with that wherever you went.

Appearances in politics are everything.when some radicals in middle east or elsewhere see this picture,they would equate that to weakness.so the president needs to constantly be aware of his actions,because internationally
everything he does or says is digested differently than in U.S.